In my last blog the quote I left you with suggested that one day soon Flapdoodle would be perhaps “flying”. Here she is depicted flying into another stage of the preparation stages for actually cruising. At the end of this adventure we should be able to cross more items off the to do list. I believe these are “B list” items though; but please do not assume we have completed the “A list”.

“Operation Haulout” may also be known as  “The Waiting Game,” or “The Biggest Most Tremendous of all Project Creeps,” or “Bring on Many More Boat Units of Mula” [One Boat Unit  equals $1000.] Perhaps we should have named our boat “Fortune.” We needed to take a “feather from the ducks back” to learn about patience.

Let me set the scene for you and document some of the events before and after taking flight. The day started at Chula Vista at sea level.

We were scheduled to be at the Koehler Kraft Boatyard at 10 am; to be hauled with the aid of a crane. We were assured “Fatdoodle” would be safe. The crane was rated for 90 ton and “Fatdoodle” came in at almost 15 ton.

Back to the adventure. Before departing Chula Vista Marina we made a detour to pump out our blackwater tank. Once this house keeping duty was completed successfully we motored towards Coronado bridge. On a routine check it was realized that the propeller shaft was getting hot, as not enough water was dripping to cool the shaft down. We slowed down to allow the shaft to cool and increased the water drips. On the way we were contacted by the boat yard to inform us that they had a change of plans and were not going to use the crane anymore. We needed to dock our boat in a slightly different location so we could be moved into a cradle and hauled out along a train track system. As it turns out this was better for us as the boat was to be placed where we could more easily maneuver, and Flapdoodle would not have to actually be lifted into the air.

In all we motored for one and a half hours. The harbor always provides entertainment along the way. Here are a few photos of the activity on that day. Friends of ours were motoring back to Chula Vista Marina in the opposite direction and the military were partaking in drills.

On arrival we docked and went to talk to management. The waiting game began. We were informed that the foreman was still travelling home from his vacation in Hawaii. Our boat would be hauled after lunch. It quickly became apparent that this was going to be a slow process. Already the prospects of us being back in the water on Friday were quickly fading.

The hauling process was a one man operation. The boat was carefully guided onto a cradle, gently lifted out of the water, and then moved along train tracks, with the use of a remote control, to deliver Flapdoodle to dry land at about six feet above sea level.

Flapdoodle high and dry.

The boatyard’s contribution to the rest of the day was to have the hull power washed, and to ponder over whether or not the propeller shaft required replacing, and if so how it would be removed. The employees day ended at 4pm promptly and Harry set to work removing the packing form the packing gland, removing a through hull valve, and pulling the transmission coupling.

We dined on a meal from leftovers from the cooler. Then we took a Lyft ride to Chula Vista to collect our car so Harry could drive to work the next day. We showered in the boatyard facilities. I imagined that I could not see the rust or the dirt and enjoyed the high pressured warm water. We were very ready to sleep in the v-berth.

POSTNOTE: During our stay we observed two other boats being lifted by crane into the boat yard. Harry and I looked at each other and both agreed that being hauled out along the train tracks was a less stressful way than having your boat “fly” by the aid of the crane.